An insurance company had to call in a helicopter to remove a vehicle that went off the Sea Cliff Bridge 11 days ago. Late on November 25, a 17-year-old driver and his male passenger were in the white Toyota HiLux when it crashed through a fence and came to a stop metres before tumbling over the cliff and into the water. Since then, the wreck has sat near the edge while Bulli Pass was closed. With Lawrence Hargrave Drive providing an alternate route during the closure of the pass any work on removing the HiLux had to wait until after its reopening. On Tuesday at around 8am, a helicopter was brought in to remove the wreck. Workers strapped the battered ute to a cable dangling from the helicopter. The chopper then lifted it up and carried it around three kilometres south to Monash Avenue, behind Jim Allen Oval at Wombarra. A spokesman for Roads and Maritime Services said that, while it was involved in discussions regarding the removal, it did not carry it out. “The removal was not the responsibility of Roads and Maritime Services and was co-ordinated by an insurance company and salvage operator,” the spokesman said. “Several options were considered to remove the vehicle including use of a crane, which would have impacted traffic on Lawrence Hargrave Drive. “The use of a helicopter to retrieve the vehicle meant there was no impact to road users and the whole operation took around 10 minutes.” The white Toyota HiLux had been there since November 25, when the car carrying a 17-year-old P-plater and his friend crashed through a section of fence at the southern end of the bridge. Had the accident happened just a metre or two further north, the ute would have hit the guardrail along the footpath and likely gone no further. Instead, the HiLux went through the fence and down a steep hill, coming to a stop perilously close to the cliff’s edge. The pair managed to get themselves out of the car and scrambled 100 metres up the cliff to the roadside. The driver, a 17-year-old P1 license holder suffered a wrist injury, while the 18-year-old passenger suffered minor injuries. The pair were taken to Wollongong Hospital but were released early Saturday morning. Both the driver and passenger are from the Sutherland Shire. Police have said there was enough evidence to indicate speed was a factor in the late-night crash. It is understood the driver has been charged with driving in a dangerous manner. The driver will appear in court early in 2017.

An insurance company had to call in a helicopter to remove a vehicle that went off the Sea Cliff Bridge 11 days ago.

Late on November 25, a 17-year-old driver and his male passenger were in the white Toyota HiLux when it crashed through a fence and came to a stop metres before tumbling over the cliff and into the water.

Since then, the wreck has sat near the edge while Bulli Pass was closed.

With Lawrence Hargrave Drive providing an alternate route during the closure of the pass any work on removing the HiLux had to wait until after its reopening.

On Tuesday at around 8am, a helicopter was brought in to remove the wreck.

Workers strapped the battered ute to a cable dangling from the helicopter.

The chopper then lifted it up and carried it around three kilometres south to Monash Avenue, behind Jim Allen Oval at Wombarra.

A spokesman for Roads and Maritime Services said that, while it was involved in discussions regarding the removal, it did not carry it out.

“The removal was not the responsibility of Roads and Maritime Services and was co-ordinated by an insurance company and salvage operator,” the spokesman said.

“Several options were considered to remove the vehicle including use of a crane, which would have impacted traffic on Lawrence Hargrave Drive.

“The use of a helicopter to retrieve the vehicle meant there was no impact to road users and the whole operation took around 10 minutes.”

The white Toyota HiLux had been there since November 25, when the car carrying a 17-year-old P-plater and his friend crashed through a section of fence at the southern end of the bridge.

Had the accident happened just a metre or two further north, the ute would have hit the guardrail along the footpath and likely gone no further.

Instead, the HiLux went through the fence and down a steep hill, coming to a stop perilously close to the cliff’s edge.

The pair managed to get themselves out of the car and scrambled 100 metres up the cliff to the roadside.